Its construction department was awarded part of a £200 million contract before Christmas by the county council for schools building but in Fenland, Morgan Sindall’s social housing maintenance continues to leave residents without heating.

%image(15867310, type="article-full", alt="'So Roddons think it's acceptable to move me into a property that has worse mould than the last property that I was decanted out of? All of our clothes, birthday presents for both the boys, shelving, curtains etc has all gone mouldy" posting to Wisbech Facebook group")

Wisbech councillor Virginia Bucknor renewed her plea to MP Steve Barclay to intervene over a long running battle to ensure Morgan Sindall maintains social housing now owned by Clarion and formerly Roddons.

She told Mr Barclay: “I’m just one councillor but I’m receiving complaints from all over Fenland - your many constituents.

“Would you please use your influence to persuade Clarion to take on more engineers so that these long outstanding complaints of no heating or hot water are resolved?

“As a family man, you would not wish your children to be without heating or hot water for even a few days, let alone weeks or months. Morgan Sindall is telling Clarion they are attending and then cancelling the appointments because they remain overwhelmed. This must be dealt with.”

%image(15867311, type="article-full", alt="Clarion Housing is under fire in Fenland because of major repairs problems to hot water and heating for its tenants")

In an email to Clarion Housing Cllr Bucknor said: “Unfortunately, as you may be aware, your dreadful service is not unusual.

“Residents all over Fenland are being promised a date by Morgan Sindall who then do not attend. They even inform Clarion that the resident ‘was not at home when they called’ which is even more frustrating.”

She said: “Residents have advised me that the cost of using the heaters is about £10 per day so please take a meter reading if you are able as soon as possible so that when it is resolved and compensation is arranged, it covers this additional cost.”

Cllr Bucknor has sent the company a copy of an email from a Clarion tenants who says that in December their boiler stopped working and they called the emergency number for Morgan Sindall

“I was told someone would be out to me,” said the tenants. “They never showed up and I was left with no heating or hot water for a weekend until the boiler turned back on again.

“They arranged to come out on January 3 but never showed. I called and was told someone would be out on the 4th. This engineer arrived and ordered new parts. They were due to come out again on January 22 but they never turned up.

“I called again and was told they would come on the 26th between 8am and 12noon.”

They never showed up.

The tenant said the boiler packed up last Tuesday and the company brought round two heaters.

At some point it will not restart and I will be left with no heating or hot water for myself, daughter and three young grandchildren.”

“I feel my concerns and complaints are being ignored and that Clarion is not adhering to their responsibility stated in the tenancy agreement regarding repairs and maintenance.

“I wonder if a private tenant would be treated the same way.”

This is the third resident - this week alone - who has advised non attendance by Morgan Sindall.

“As you are aware, MS are also advising you that residents were out when they called, which has also been evidenced as false.

Cllr Bucknor urged a ‘more proactive’ commitment with more engineers called into Fenland to deal with ongoing problems.